Deflock Idaho reacts to Wilder not banning ALPRs

Our Take

Credit to KTVB for covering this, because local council votes on ALPRs almost never make the evening news — and that's exactly how Flock Safety likes it. A small-town vote in Wilder, Idaho doesn't feel like a big national story, but it's a perfect example of how blanket license plate surveillance spreads: not through some sweeping federal mandate, but one quiet city council meeting at a time, usually with little public pushback because most residents don't even know the cameras are up for debate.

Tyler Cain calling this a "missed opportunity" is the right read. Every council that declines to ban or even seriously restrict ALPRs is effectively outsourcing a permanent surveillance decision to a private company with a growing national camera network and a track record of data-sharing problems, misuse, and mission creep well beyond the "stolen cars only" pitch. Once the poles go in, they rarely come out — and the data they generate doesn't stay as local as officials promise.

If you want to see whether your own town already has these cameras installed, check our map, and if you'd rather your city council not end up in a segment like this one, our take-action page has the tools to speak up before the vote, not after.